Vespertine Dreams by Aster Rye

Author:Aster Rye [Rye, Aster]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-18T00:00:00+00:00

What the actual hell? This was a straight up Wizard of Oz, Aunt Em plot twist and Doria had not seen it coming at all.

Jillian looked past her mother’s huddled form to her father—strong and well and whole. “Dad? You aren’t sick anymore?”

“I haven’t been sick honey? We woke up from the hypersleep just fine. Your brother and sister too. You’ve been out for weeks though. We didn’t think we’d get you back,” her father’s voice was thick with emotion. “We made it here to Galileo Prime. It’s beautiful. I can’t wait for you to see the gleaming city.”

“Galileo Prime? Not on the outpost?”

“What outpost?” her mother asked through the lump in her voice. “We’re on Galileo Prime. The move remember?”

Jillian’s brain was in a fog. She didn’t remember. She shook her head.

“I think she needs a little time,” Xyren explained to her parents. “Most people trapped in hypersleep never make it out. Her body needs time to adjust.”

“What do you mean trapped in hypersleep?” She looked up at him.

“You didn’t wake up when we docked.” Her father answered. “The doctors thought you were gone. We were getting close to the three week limit. I can’t believe we signed off on such a short time period. It’s only thanks to this young man that you’re awake at all.”

“I was trapped in hypersleep?”

“You should leave this place. It is not for you.”

“What’s not for me?”

“Any of this. You should leave this place.”

“But what is this? Why are you here?” She asked, stepping toward his cell once again.

He looked over his shoulder at her. “It is a place of traps and I don’t want to see one sprung on you Jillian Everheart.”

Her initial conversation with Xyren came back to her.

“But—” she blinked again trying to clear her brain. “It was all so real. You were there with me.” She looked at her parents and then again at Xyren.

“He thought he could get you out and he did.” Her father beamed at Xyren.

“It wasn’t real?” Jillian looked helplessly at Xyren. “Who even are you then?”

A wave of nausea rolled through her. Whether it was the effects of her condition or the memory of what she thought she’d shared with Xyren she couldn’t say.

“Maybe you could give me a moment alone with Jillian?” he asked her parents. “I think this might be all a little overwhelming.”

Her mother looked reluctant, but at the urging of her father, she relented. Jillian was left alone with the beautiful alien man she felt she knew but clearly didn’t.

“I’m sure you’re very confused.” He wore the same remorseful expression she’d seen on him when he was trying to push her away in the tower. “Let me try to explain.”

She nodded silently.

“When you and your family arrived here on Galileo Prime, we couldn’t get you to wake from your hypersleep. Normally it’s a death sentence.” He looked miserable as he spoke.

Jillian held up a hand. “Wait. Before you go on. We haven’t actually met, have we? Who are you exactly?”

He smiled in a self-deprecating way.

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